Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Reviews by porter17:

I turned out to be very impressed by this Imperial Stout. I am a big fan of the dark beers (did my name give you a hint on that?) but usually prefer an oatmeal stout to an imperial. Too much alcohol makes the beer too sweet for me. This imperial weighed in at a potent but not-too-strong 7.7% ABV. Good start. Poured an inspiring jet black but with only a fair head. Nice chocolaty-roasty aroma. A nicely balanced beer with a great taste. Very drinkable. I did feel, however, that the beer was a little thin. Other than that, I have no complaints with this beer. (562 characters)

More User Reviews:

4.2/5rDev n/alook: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Its black body reveals clear ruby highlights beneath its creamy tan head. The head retention is quite good, and it leaves some very nice lace throughout the first half of the glass. The nose expresses rich roasted coffee with a touch of chocolate and some mild citrusy hops. It avoids any yeasty fruitiness, however, and offers none of the "burnt currant" that's so commonly associated with the style. A full body is complimented by a fine carbonation that leaves it creamy and smooth in the mouth. The flavor delivers a firm roastiness that's almost smoky, lightly chocolatey, distinctly coffee-like, and with some caramel and even a touch of licorice in the finish. It's balanced by a firm bitterness, and gently roused by some mild grassy hop flavor. The alcohol is well hidden throughout the pint, and it finishes dry with some lingering roastiness. Very nicely done with a good drinkability. Distinct and rich, with a solid roasty dryness. Not overtly complex, however. (974 characters)

This is served only in a 12 oz. snifter glass. It is an imperial stout, which is my choice for winter. This is a really, really dark brew with a light head that is deep tan in color. The nose has an interesting sweetness, backed with a coffee aroma. It has a lightly creamy mouthfeel, accompanied by a chocolate-coffee taste. The finish is strongly of coffee, but the chocolate lingers on as an aftertaste. The relatively low ABV makes this a beer that I could drink more than one of without much concern. The more that I drink of it, the more that the chocolate becomes noticible. Yummy! (588 characters)

Arrived in a small brandy snifter glass. Black in color with a short 1" tan head that quickly disappeared. Aroma was of alcohol and roasted malt. Roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, and a nice hop level were the main flavor components, but most were laid back and well balanced. This is not an imperial stout that blows away your taste buds, but is quite satisfying.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy at the start, with a dry smooth finish. The alcohol and roasted tones linger briefly on the tongue after swallowing. Very nicely drinkable, just wish they served it an better glass. (588 characters)

Served as part of a sampler tray at their brewpub. Midnight black in color with a rich and creamy head that had the color of coffee ice cream. A soft roasted and creamy aroma emanates. The taste has a fine bitterness, is soft and smooth with chocolaty grains. Very little harshness or bitterness. Has a fermented fruit sweetness. Some warming alcohol comes through in the finish. Nicely done. A subdued Imperial Stout, but very pleasant on the whole. (450 characters)

It is served in a snifter and had little head to showcase on this black beer. The aroma has a lot of hop character to it (cascade is evident). The full body has some roasted coffee notes, but it needs to be maltier to stand up to the excessive amounts of hops. The finish is a cirtus bitterness. It is a good sipper, but it doesn't neatly fit into the imperial stout category. (376 characters)